By Paul Pannone

An ongoing eWedNewz poll strongly suggests Americans would buy American-made products if they could be produced here in the United States. So far 61% of respondents say they would buy American products if they existed.

Since the global collapse that began in 2008, slow recovery and languishing effects are changing the way Americans view purchasing merchandise and could ultimately lead to more products made in the United States by American workers. But time, tide and off-shore manufacturing waits for no one, as our so-called partners get better at producing goods and selling them to our customers.

 

Automation, globalization, better technology and consumer demand for cheaper prices all contributed to selling the American worker down the Yangtze River. Is it time for American manufacturing to come back?

 

Jim Duhe gave eWedNewz readers his view of what Made In American once meant and how the deck is stacked against ever producing products here in the United States again.

“Made In America was an important label in the post WWII era.  It meant that products were made with pride and quality craftsmanship.  It meant that the goods that we produced were  among the best in the world.  That was then.  This is now.

When bridal apparel produced off shore began to be commonplace in the US, a veteran gown manufacturer asked if I knew the difference between goods produced domestically and the goods that were being imported (aside from price).  OK.  I’ll bite.  What’s the difference?  “The imports are substantially better” he said.  The quality and design has improved steadily each year since then.  It probably will continue to improve.

I’m not suggesting that new legislation isn’t important to level the playing field.  However, it will take much more than new laws to fix the perception of the price/quality imbalance that consumers express.  Companies who produce goods have to prove that “Made In America” means something other than expensive,” says Duhe.

The ongoing poll suggests Americans would at least give goods made here a chance if they existed. As Duhe suggests in his statement American goods are often seen as expensive when compared to offshore products. In the past bad quality from both American and offshore makers forced consumers to seek lower prices for the same garbage. But over the last five years American standards of production have improved but so has China’s. Because of economic pressure and less demand prices have fallen but the cost to produce in China has risen.

Christine Boulton told eWedNewz it’s a footrace to see who can make a better quality product for a competitive price. She cites the recent events involving the auto industry.

“Chrysler and Detroit are working on that. You see what has happened to the auto industry. For a time, Made in America was synonymous with Crap. Detroit and the American auto manufacturer are having to work very hard to change that perception, says Boulton.

 

What do you think? Take the poll.

eWedNewz

All Rights Reserved

2012